Tobacco users need not fear.

CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. (UTC/The Loop)- The recent proposal by the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga’s Student Government Association to remove tobacco sales from campus has some students concerned.

The proposal is not aimed at removing tobacco use from campus all together Alden Coleman, SGA Chief of Staff, said. It’s just aimed at stopping the sale of it in campus stores.

Daniel Rial, a Junior from Dickson Tenn., said, “That’s entirely up to the school. If they want to do that then you know, there’s a gas station just down the road. But I mean the smoking on campus that would just be the only part I feel like they’re bullying us”.

Coleman said the SGA is well aware of the tobacco users on campus and wants them to know they don’t want to keep them from their freedoms, they simply want to make it easier for others to make healthy choices. Coleman also said the SGA is aiming for a mutual respect between everyone on campus as outlined in the University mission statement, not an attack on anyone.

However, Coleman said the sale of tobacco on campus is not positive to the development of health on campus, so they would really like to see it go.

“Banning tobacco is not, by far, the policy we want to try to push for, we understand there are smokers and non-smokers, you know and that being an American freedom to buy and consume cigarettes; we’re not going to take that away, nor do we want to, you know, Nor does the administration.” Coleman said.

Coleman also said that he would like to see some kind of partnership with a counseling program to help those who want to quit, but nothing has been started yet.